ALWAYS (Harry Potter fanfiction) (Snape fanfiction)

Chapter 16

To say that Christmas was not the same that year was an understatement. Arabella got gifts from people she didn't even know, most had the same note attached: 'I'm sorry for your loss', or some variants like 'I'm sorry what happened to your sister' and when she read that, she thought to herself: brother. Others, though, did say 'brother', and others send her a long letter with the gift, telling her how sorry they were and that they knew Altan and he was always a cheerful boy. Lies. Most of the people that sent those letters didn't even know Altan when he was alive, didn't look twice at him when they passed in the hallways. They didn't know he was not cheerful but he had the kindest heart at school. Arabella felt sorry for those that didn't know him, because he was precious and made your life better as soon as you knew him. However, she also felt sorry for those who knew him, because they lost something beautiful, unique and kind.

Everyone could see that Arabella and Severus Snape were hurting, no one could pretend otherwise. Arabella enclosed herself, she stopped talking most of the time, but she frequently visited Hagrid, and as they talked for hours and hours to end, Hagrid taught her everything he knew about magical creatures, he took her to feed the thestrals, somehow she could see them. Hagrid told her that it was because she tried to use her healing powers with Altan. The thestrals were kind creatures, their kindness reminded her, in a way, of Altan. They were quiet and they observed you, and when they saw you were about to break down, they would get close and remind you that you were not alone. Severus, on the other hand, was moodier, snapped more often, treated students worse. However, when it came to Arabella, he changed for the better, he was more willing to listen, he checked more often on her, he was kinder. After Altan's death, time changed got Arabella, days turned into weeks and weeks into months without her knowledge, and even if it was easier each day to talk about Altan and to think about him, Arabella woke up each day waiting to find him sitting in the Great Hall, but he was never there.

The date of Buckbeak's execution was nearer each day and Arabella did what she could to distract Hagrid from it.

"Arabella, wait" Arabella stopped in her tracks and looked back to where the voice called her. It was Professor Lupin, "where are you going?"

"I was going to visit Hagrid" Arabella told him, "do you need anything, Professor? Shouldn't you be in bed? Today is-" Arabella was worried, what if her father forgot to make the Wolfsbane?

"I'm okay, Arabella, thank you for your concern. However, I want to talk to you. I know Harry is your brother" he said and Arabella opened and closed her mouth like a fish.

"How?"

"Lily was my friend, she was an exceptionally kind woman, much like yourself. She never left me alone, not even in my darkest times. Lily was one of those people that always saw goodness on others, even more when they couldn't see it in themselves." Remus Lupin smiled as he remembered his friend, "from the moment you stepped into my classroom, I knew who you were. When I saw you, your smile and how beautiful your magic was, I knew it. Harry may have your mother's eyes, but in every other aspect, you are just like Lily."

"I thank that you are telling me all this, but, why?" Arabella asked him, somewhat confused.

"Recently, I acquired or, reacquired a map that tells you where anyone in the castle is, and I found a peculiar name. Peter Pettigrew" he said, I was confused, he was supposed to be dead, "he has been following your brother and I know why no one has seen him. When we were at school, James, Sirius and Peter manages to become animagi, James was a stag, Sirius was a dog and... Peter was a rat"

"Scabbers" Arabella said immediately, "he's been with the Weasley family for... twelve years, the same time Peter has been supposedly dead" Arabella added two plus two, Sirius Black didn't sell her mother to Voldemort, it had been Pettigrew, and perhaps Black had gone to confront him, "why are you telling me this, Professor?"

"He has been following Harry for the last couple months, Hagrid found him yesterday and has been in his hut since, but I have the feeling that you should keep an eye on your brother, just in case" Professor Lupin looked down and sighed, he took out a parchment and put his wand above it, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good" the parchment changed, words started to appear. 'Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present The Marauder's Map'.

"Is Sirius in the grounds?" Arabella asked him.

"He is. Actually, he's by the Whomping Willow. I-"

"Remus!" It was Professor McGonagall's voice, getting closer.

"Go to him, Arabella, I sense that you and Sirius have to talk" Lupin told Arabella as he walked to meet with Professor McGonagall.

Arabella didn't know why, but she did as she was said. This could either be the way to find the truth, or to walk straight to her death. She was prepared for either. Arabella walked to the Whomping Willow, but far enough to be out of reach of the branches. She concentrated and felt the energy emanating from her eyes and hands. With her powers, her abilities of Legilimancy were enhanced, and with it she was able to find Sirius's mind, he was watching her, and he was thinking of Lily.

"Sirius, I know you're there, you can come out, I swear, I just want the truth" Arabella called, facing the way she knew Sirius was.

She felt something change within Sirius's mind and she noticed that he had changed, he was an animagus and had changed to his human form. From the bushes came a man in his early thirties, but visibly aged, perhaps because of his time in Azkaban. He was dirty, but that was expected.

"You're Lily's daughter, aren't you?" Sirius asked in a kind voice, a voice Arabella didn't expect from him.

"My name is Arabella" she told the man and he smiled.

"She always said that if she had a daughter she would name her Bella" Sirius said and she smiled.

"My dad and almost everyone call me that" Arabella told the man, he seemed in the verge of tears, and she did too, to listen to someone that loved her mother and actually talked about her, unlike Severus, who avoided the topic, she felt somehow closer to Lily.

"You look just like her, except for the eyes, they are your father's" Sirius told her and she nodded.

"And the hair, I'm brunette" Arabella said and chuckled, "I have to ask, Sirius, did you sell my mother to Voldemort?" Arabella asked with tears in her eyes, it was the first time she had cried since Altan's funeral. Sirius walked towards Arabella, he put his hand on her cheek and looked at her face, remembering his late friend.

"Arabella, I would have died before betraying her and James" Sirius told her and she nodded, wrapping her arms around his waist and hiding her face in his chest, she didn't care about the dirt or sweat, she just needed comfort. Arabella cried into his ragged clothes and let him hold her and comfort her. She wasn't just crying for her mother, but because of everything she had been through during the year, mostly because she lost her best friend, and she couldn't help but feel that it was her fault.

"Can you tell me about her?" Arabella asked him and he nodded.

"Come, so the Dementors don't see me" he said and pointed towards the Whomping willow.

Somehow he managed to make it stop moving, and they entered a passage between the roots, the passage took them to the Shrieking Shack. They talked for about an hour until Arabella senses something happening. Sirius offered himself to go check on whatever was happening.